The Wrath of Koga
by Codyfancypants
Summary: As a large Team Rocket force stages an occupation of the Safari Zone, it's up to Fuchsia City Gym Leader; Koga to infiltrate the park in order to rescue hostages and Pokemon alike. Will he be able to accomplish his mission before it's too late?
1. Part 1

_Hey! Welcome to Part 1 of The Wrath of Koga! This story is set after the first generation Pokemon games (Red, Blue, Yellow, Green) but before the second (Gold, Silver, Crystal). Please enjoy, and don't forget to leave a comment if you'd like to see more. Thanks!_

* * *

 **The Wrath of Koga**

 **Part I**

It wasn't unusual to run into crowds in Fushcia; being a city that was home to many of the most popular landmarks in the country. The Kanto Pokemon Zoo, the expansive Safari Zone national park, and beautiful costal beaches attracted visitors from all over, but today the streets were especially jam-packed for no reason other than the weather happened to be pleasant.

At the busy Fuchsia City Pokemon Center, people waited in long lines with their injured, sick, and tired Pokemon as nurses quickly handled the needs of each trainer with kind, professional attitudes. Others simply came to visit the cafe in order to relax, meet new people, and share information about the different places and Pokemon they encountered in their travels.

A pair automatic doors slid open. After a few moments, heads began to turn and people began to chatter excitedly amongst themselves as Koga, leader of the official Pokemon League Fuchsia City Gym, walked through the entrance.

On the surface, Koga could appear to be quite intimidating; being an expert martial artist in the field of ninjitsu, and a speciallist with Pokemon of the poison-type. Those who knew him had nothing but respect and admiration for the esteemed gym leader, as Koga had proven himself time and time again to be a noble, trustworthy man, in addition to being a caring father to his young daughter, Janine.

Today he wore a crisp collared shirt with slacks, which was an interesting sight for onlookers. Most people had only seen him on television or in magazines wearing his full ninja uniform. Of course that was simply his work attire, and Koga did indeed wear casual clothing durring his time off.

He headed up the escalator, towards the Pokemon trading area of the second floor, followed a respectful distance by the curious crowd of onlookers. Koga crossed the room and walked over to a man that was already standing by the registration desk. The man wore a beige suit, carried a back briefcase, and had both the appearance, and enthusiastic demenor of a salesman.

"Leader Koga! It's an honor to finally meet you in person!" The salesmen shook Koga's hand hard and fast as the dignified gym leader smiled neverously, trying to keep hold of the man's wildly moving grip.

"The pleasure's all mine," he replied. "I appreciate you coming such a long way to be here today." The salesman waved off his remark.

"It's no trouble at all. My job requires me travel constantly anyway. That's how I'm able to offer such a unique selection of goods..." The man smiled broadly and held up his case. "In addition to rare and exotic Pokemon. Shall we...?"

Koga and the salesman were taken behind the counter to an open trading room that simply contained two chairs and a large machine that was used to officially re-register traded Pokemon to new trainers, as per Pokemon League regulations. Similar to the Bill's PC operating system, these machines were compatible with the technology found inside pokeballs, and were the only way people were legally permitted to exchange Pokemon.

"Would you like to see it first?" The salesman asked, holding a great-ball variety pokeball in his hand.

"Please, if you wouldn't mind." Koga answered politely.

"CROBAT! Come out!" The salesman clicked the button on the front of the red, blue, and white sphere, and the top half popped open in his hand. After a momentary flash, a rapidly flapping, flying, purple Pokemon appeared in the room with series of screeches. It had a bat-like appearance with no head to speak of; it's face was simply on the front of the upper part of it's body. Above the face, which was noseless with a mouth full of clenched teeth that always seemed to be exposed, two pointed ears stood straight upwards, twitching along with any sounds they heard, but one of the most unique things about the creature was that it had four wings, an unusual thing for a non-insect type Pokemon.

Koga stood speechless for a moment. He recognized in this Pokemon traits he was quite familiar with, having helped train several Zubat and Goldbat throughout his career, but even over the correspondence he had with the traveling trader, he never fully believed the man was in possesion of a Pokemon he had never seen before.

Koga held a hand out to the Crobat, and waited for it to approach him; a simple gesture of trust when meeting a new Pokemon, and within a short time Crobat flapped over and inspected his hand, flapping faster as it did. "Amazing..." Koga said to himself, marveling at the unfamiliar Pokemon.

"The Goldbat found in the Johto region are able to evolve to a further stage than the ones found here in the caves of Kanto." The salesman explained. "I'm not quite sure the reason, but I think Crobat's evolution might have something to with the stress level of their enviornment. You only find them in peaceful areas, or with extra attentive trainers." The gym leader continued to watch Crobat right up until the moment the trader withdrew it using the pokeball's return function.

"So, would you be interested in any sort of trade, Leader Koga?"

* * *

Koga returned to the Fushcia Gym in good spirtits. Back at the Pokemon Center he had traded one of his Scyther for the newly discoved Crobat. Not only was Scyther an extremely hard Pokemon to find, but it was strong as well, this particular one having a power index level of almost 70. His senior students were waiting by the entrance for his return, and bowed respectfully as he approached.

"Welcome back!" The five assistant instructors said in unison, all of them wearing the traditional, tightly wrapped cloth uniform of the ninja. Koga returned the bow, allowing the group to stand at-ease.

"How did the trade go Master? Did they really have a newly discovered pokemon with them?" One of Koga's more excitable students asked. The gym leader gave a satisfied smirk and removed the great-ball from his holster belt.

"Why not see for yourse-" He was suddenly cut short by the sound of a wild yell comming from the air above him.

"YAAAAAAAAH HOOOOOOOO!"

Before Koga's ninja reflexes could react, a small figure had landed ontop of his head, quickly moving into position to hang off of his shoulders. Having been caught off guard, Koga accidently tossed the ball he was holding, releasing Crobat to the awe of his students.

"Daddddd-eeeeee!" Janine squeeled, sqeezing her father's neck tightly. Koga breathed a sigh of relief and found himself once again impressed by his daughter's natural acrobatic abilities, and how she was able to sneak up on him without fail on a regular basis. As an experienced ninja master, he should have been almost impervious to all supprise attacks, but for this 7 year old girl, it was as easy as playing a game. In a single fluid motion, Janine flipped herself over her father's shoulders and landed in his arms, a pouty expression on her face.

"Did you really have to trade Choppy away today, daddy?" The little girl asked, Choppy being her nickname for the Scyther Koga had exchanged earlier. The gym leader felt his heart sink a bit. Trading Pokemon wasn't uncommon, or even a very dramatic occurrence in today's day and age, but there was a particular attachment involved when trading a Pokemon one had put so much time and care into training.

"Don't worry dear," Koga said assuredly. "Choppy was one of the toughest Pokemon I've ever trained. I'm sure he'll find a new trainer that will help him become even stronger! He may even come back one day to battle for a Soul Badge!" He explained optimistically, raising young Janine up, and giving her a seat on his shoulder.

"Well if he does come back, I hope he beats you up!" She said teasingly, sticking her tounge out as a taunt. They both looked up at Crobat, who was able to glide around smoothly in the open space and high ceiling of the Fuchsia City Gym.

"Is it a boy or a girl?" Janine asked, her head moving as her stare followed the speedy Pokemon around the room.

"It's a female," Koga informed her.

"Ohhhhh..." She was slient for a moment. "So is it a boy or girl?"

As they admired Crobat, the entrance doors opened again. Three men wearing police uniforms stepped inside. They were met immediately by the senior students, who after shortly conversing with the officers, appeared concerned.

"Master Koga," One of the students approached the gym leader and his daughter, and took a knee. "The Fuchsia City Police are here. They say they require your assistance..."

"Hm?" Koga turned to face the officers. They did indeed carry expressions of grave concern, and appeared to be exhausted.

"Very well then..." Koga lifted Janine off his shoulder and placed her on the ground. "I have some work to do now dear." He explained to her apologetically. The young girl groaned.

"I knoooooow..."

Koga affectionately put his hand on the top of hear head.

"Why don't you try to see if you're fast enough to catch Crobat for me?" The ninja master challenged his daughter.

"Allllllriigghht!" She shouted loudly, pumping her tiny fist in the air before hopping away in almost 5 foot bounds.

As he watched his daughter leap out of sight, Koga turned around and suddenly threw a small object on the ground in front himself. In an instant he was completely concealed by a ploom of white smoke. Within a few seconds, as if blown away by a gust of wind, the fog cleared away. In it's place stood Fushcia City Gym Leader Koga; his wardrobe completely changed to his iconic ninja uniform. He stood with his arms crossed over his chest and, all traces of his fatherly tenderness from before had vanished.

"Gentlemen, how may I be of service?"

* * *

 _Time to get NINJA serious! Thanks for reading. If you dig the tale so far, dont be afraid to let me know. LATER._


	2. Part 2

**The Wrath of Koga**

 **Part II**

"They arrived about an hour ago in several large zeppelin-type aircraft." A Fuchsia City police officer explained the situation as they drove at emergency pace towards the direction of the Safari Zone.

"We were caught completely off-guard. As soon as they landed, they barricaded the entrances and gathered together every employee and guest in the park..."

"And now they're being held hostage..." Koga finished the officer's statement for him.

"Precisely."

"Hmm..." Koga put his hand to his chin in thought. "What are their demands?"

"They announced that they wish to be left alone for 24 hours, and if anybody is caught entering the Safari Zone during that time..." The officer's expression turned grim. "The safety of the hostages would no longer be assured."

"I see." Koga nodded. "Does anyone know I'm coming?"

"No sir, only a few know that we sent for you."

"Good." He unlatched his seat belt. "Tell no one else of my arrival."

Koga opened the passenger side door of the speeding police cruiser, and gracefully hopped out.

"LEADER KOGA!" The officer exclaimed reaching over the seat; never in his life having seen someone voluntarily leap from a moving vehicle before. His concern however, was soon replaced by amazement, as the ninja master could be seen in the distance leaping from rooftop to rooftop at an impressive speed.

"My wife is not going to believe this..."

* * *

"We've got to move-in while we still have tactical advantage!" Pokemon Ranger Kennan argued. He and his fellow Rangers were a few of the only people allowed beyond the police barricade, which marked off a wide perimeter outside the main gates of the Safari Zone.

"Don't be foolish," Ranger Ivy replied, looking over a map of the massive area of land the park covered. "We have to assume they've gathered the hostages somewhere far from our position. There's no way we'd be able to secure them all before Team Rocket has a chance to retaliate."

"Like a Magikarp swimming upstream..." Ranger Dawson, who was standing off to the side, adjusted his sunglasses as he spoke. "We're stuck."

Just then, a small object struck the ground between the group of Pokemon Rangers. Upon further inspection, it appeared to be a throwing knife with a paper note tied to it. Kennan and Ivy were hesitant to investigate, but Ranger Dawson seemed to have no problem with walking over and retrieving the message.

"Rendezvous by the Lapras pool at the Pokemon Zoo," Dawson read aloud.

"Signed, 'K'..."

The Rangers looked around the immediate area, trying to discern where the note was thrown from, but it appeared the messenger was long gone.

* * *

Lapras was a large aquatic Pokemon with a long stretching neck, a thick shell covering it's torso, and two wide fins on both the front and back sides of it's body. It was one of the more popular exhibits at the zoo, and had it's own private lake, artificially built deep and far enough to house the seafaring Pokemon comfortably. Visitors especially enjoyed coming in the evenings, when Lapras would sing songs; a natural behavior that reminded all that listened of a mother's humming lullaby.

"Look at this!" Kennan exclaimed angrily. "They evacuated everyone from the park, but just left all the Pokemon in their enclosures!" The passionate ranger turned to his partners. "This could have been Team Rocket's plan all along; distract the public while they move in and rob the zoo!" Suddenly, the group heard a voice from behind them.

"An interesting theory, but I don't think the zoo is what they're after..." Gym Leader Koga commented from behind the rangers. They hadn't even heard him approach, but he was standing casually, as if he had been there the entire time. The Pokemon Rangers immediately upon recognizing the man, shot their hands to their foreheads in salute.

"Drop the formalities please," Koga began. "Time is of the essence, what do we know about the situation so far?"

"Right away, sir." Ranger Dawson replied, dropping his arm. "Ivy..."

Ranger Ivy nodded and retrieved a Poke-gear device from her belt. After a few taps on the touch-screen, she brought up a map of the Safari Zone territory.

"Team Rocket's blimps entered the Safari Zone from due-north, and from there they spread out, landing in different areas of the park."

"In almost no time, they had taken all the surveillance cameras offline, and with their own Pokemon, sealed off any routes in or out of the area using _earthquake_ and _rock-slide_ techniques. They then took control of the park loudspeakers, and announced themselves."

"Hmm..." Koga held his hand to his chin in thought. "If they've gained access to the PA and security systems, they must have taken control of the Warden's Cabin as well. This is not good..."

"We're ready to move in on your order, Leader Koga," Dawson stated calmly.

"No, I'm going in alone."

"That's crazy!" Ranger Kennan blurted out. Dawson and Ivy both shoot him aggressive looks, silently urging him to show some respect to the esteemed Gym Leader.

"I mean, they must have over a hundred Grunts in there, right?" Kennan continued, sounding almost apologetic. "Nobody can take on that many Rockets at once..."

"I appreciate your concern," Koga assured the ranger. "But I don't plan on taking them all on directly. Once I infiltrate the Safari Zone, my first priority will be to locate the hostages. Once they're found and accounted for, we can move on to figuring out how to get them out safely."

"After that, we deal with Team Rocket..."

"We have the utmost confidence in you Leader Koga," Ranger Dawson said on behalf of the group. "Is there anything we can do to help?"

Koga nodded and reached into one of his pockets. He tossed Dawson a small earpiece.

"Keep this on. Once I find the hostages, I'll need your assistance in getting them to safety."

The rangers all nodded and said in unison;

"Understood!"

"Very well then..." Koga put two fingers to his mouth and made a loud, sharp whistle. Suddenly, from off in the distance, Lapras began to swim towards the edge of the water to where the group was standing. It arched it's long neck over the wall to greet the gym leader. He reached out towards the muzzle of the massive sea-faring Pokemon, and petted the area above it's mouth with familiarity. "Pardon me, but may I ask for a ride?" Lapras replied with an appeased bellow, and lowered it's head closer to where Koga was standing.

"That's amazing..." Ranger Ivy whispered to herself, witnessing firsthand the expert trainer's way with Pokemon.

In no time, Koga had mounted Lapras, and now stood about 2 stories high, riding atop the head of the towering water-type Pokemon as it swam further and further away from the shore towards a giant concrete wall. On the other side of that wall was the edge of the Safari Zone, which he knew like the back of his hand. It was well known in Fuchsia City that Koga frequently patrolled the Safari Zone, lending assistance to visitors that happened to get lost in the vast grounds of the park, but he also used the more treacherous natural features of the area for physical training. In short, this mission would be a true test of his abilities, and the stakes were high.

"WEEZING!" Koga called out as he opened a pokeball. The noxious, two headed Pokemon Weezing appeared. It floated above his master with a disciplined and dignified expression on both it's faces. Koga reached out, and with one hand grabbed hold of the center joint that connected the bumpy purple orbs that made up the Pokemon Weezing.

"Fly!" The gym leader commanded. Weezing gave an affirmative grunt, and soon Koga was floating death-defyingly high in the air towards his objective.

"Good luck Leader Koga..." he heard Ranger Dawson say through his headset.

"Copy that." Koga replied. He reached his free hand under the collar of his robes and pulled up a ninja mask to cover his mouth and nose.

"Beginning operation..."


	3. Part 3

**THE WRATH OF KOGA**

 **Part III**

Baoba; owner and warden of the Safari Zone National Park, sat in a chair in the corner of his office. Glaring him down was a mean looking Charmeleon. The dinosaur-like fire Pokemon had scars on it's face, and whipped it's flame tipped tail around impatiently. A grinning Team Rocket grunt stood close-by, commanding the vicious Pokemon.

"One wrong move old-man, and I might not be able to hold Thrasher back..."

The ferocious Charmeleon made a low pitched growl, blowing a small plume of flames from it's nostrils with a snort.

"You people are monsters." The warden mumbled, sitting motionless, his hands tied together in his lap.

"Try not to frighten him too badly..." A man standing behind the warden's desk ordered to the grunt. He stood with his back to the rest of the room, looking up at a wall stacked with video monitors.

"Tell me Mr. Baoba, how many Tauros would you say roam the plains area of this park?" The questioning man wore the long coat of a high-ranking Team Rocket officer, and turned around to reveal he was also wearing a hard-shelled white mask over his eyes and nose, hiding his upper facial features. His long, dark-blonde hair was tied back at an upward angle, which swayed back and forth as he walked.

"Just what are you planning to do?" The warden asked the intimidating Rocket leader, unable to hide the worry in his voice. The masked man chuckled to himself softly.

"This isn't a television drama, Warden. I won't explain our plans to you. No, the only thing you should be concerning yourself with at this time is your own safety, as well as your guests..." He then paused for a moment.

"And possibly the safety of all the Pokemon here, if you're the type to care about that sort of thing..." The man turned again to the monitors behind the warden's desk. "Take him back to the holding area with the rest of them," the Rocket boss ordered to his subordinate.

"Yes, sir!"

"We'll call for you again when we need you, Mr. Baoba. I hope for everyone's sake, you'll be more cooperative next time..."

* * *

Koga held onto the center joint of Weezing as it floated over the barrier wall of the Safari Zone, whispering orders to the balloon-like Pokemon as it flew.

"Descend... descend... MIST!"

The two-headed Weezing began to calmly inhale, and as it carried it's master downward, puffing out a subtle, yet concealing fog, which continued until they touched down in a heavily forested area on the other side of the wall.

Even after reaching the ground, Koga and Weezing kept low for a moment, listening for any nearby threats. When it became apparent there were no hostiles in the area, Koga allowed himself to stand. He patted Weezing on the top of the larger of it's heads in gratitude, and returned it to the pokeball. He couldn't help but feel a bit of pride when looking back on how successfully he had trained this particular specimen.

Weezing and their kind were considered by most to be more of an environmental hazard than an actual Pokemon, but Koga had officially proved that with enough attention and a proper diet, this species of Pokemon was no less loyal or useful than any other. In fact, scientific articles had been published about Koga's uniquely healthy Weezing, stunning experts and Pokemon professors alike.

As he scouted the area, Koga spotted Rocket grunts patrolling the paths and clearings of the nearby woods, but easily managed to cover ground while keeping out of sight, being able to travel among st the treetops, from branch to branch.

Climbing to the canopy levels of the tall trees, he spotted the first of the landed Team Rocket blimps, off in the distance. It was parked close the edge of the forest.

"Pick up the pace people! We want berry-trees, hidden prize-items, and of course, rare Pokemon! Anything you can grab! Use ultra-balls if you want! We're not playing by Safari-Game rules today!" A Team Rocket supervisor shouted through a megaphone at grunts, as they scoured the forest using their own Pokemon to pillage anything they could find. Koga watched with concern as the Rockets did their work, not because he was afraid of what THEY were doing, but of what who was TRULY in charge of this forest would do...

Koga had to get there fast, or else he would have a true massacre on his hands; and for the time being, he needed silence.

* * *

Nidoqueen; the undisputed alpha-Pokemon of this sector of the Safari Zone, was on a march. The bulky blue and white Pokemon was practically leading an army of forest-type species, and she was ready to defend her territory against the invading threat. Swiftly, Koga dropped down from a nearby tree, and stood before the mob of wild Pokemon, led by Nidoqueen.

"GRRRWAAAAOAHHH!" The Nidoqueen roared out, as the lone trainer blocked her path.

Koga tried to keep eye contact with the large, dominant Pokemon, as he reached into his pack and pulled out a blank sheet of paper. Within seconds , he was able to twist and fold the sheet until it took it took a three-dimensional form that resembled one of the Team Rocket blimps.

"This!" Koga stated loudly, holding the paper model out towards Nidoqueen. "Is what threatens you and your land!"

As the ninja master presented the origami model to Nidoqueen, she took a few cautious stomps forward and studied the object for a moment.

She turned her head to a nearby Beedrill and began barking at it. Suddenly, the spike-armed insect Pokemon soared off. It returned a short time later, buzzing to Nidoqueen and chirping, as if it was it were making a report. Koga stood in place, hoping his message was able to get through to the influential Safari Zone resident. His only hope was that the wild Pokemon would drive the balloon away from the area, as opposed to a full-scale conflict breaking out in the forest, which would complicate the rescue operation.

"Raaooooouu..." Nidoqueen uttered a low pitched growl, and began to march towards the direction of the aircraft, followed by her forest-dweller army.

Just as Koga had hoped; an isolated distraction... but for how long?

* * *

"Sir! Team E is attempting to withdraw from the forest due to pressure from a large force of overly aggressive Pokemon!" An operator with a headset informed to the masked Rocket leader. He immediately stood from his seat and began to leave the room.

"Very well then! I'll ride out and investigate the issue myself. This early into the operation nonetheless... unacceptable."

"Do you require backup, Commander Ames, sir?" The communications technician asked.

"Absolutely not," Ames opened the cabin door and tossed a pokeball outside. With a sudden flash, the horse-type Rappidash appeared. An intense flare shot out into the air from it's mane and the base of it's hooves as it bucked on it's hind legs with a loud cry.

The Rocket commander hopped up and mounted the Pokemon with ease, being unharmed by the dancing flames engulfing Rappidash. Having tamed the creature personally, he was immune to it's non-stop excretion of fire.

He commanded the volcanic Pokemon to begin galloping, and it did, leaving long-burning hoof-prints in it's wake as is accelerated quickly into the distance.

"Now... let's just see how powerful a Pokemon has to be to scare off my men so easily..." Commander Ames growled to himself, feeling angry and impatient.

* * *

 _A bit of a shorter chapter, but I hope you enjoy it anyway. Love me some feedbacks. PEACE._


	4. Part 4

**The Wrath of Koga**

 **Part IV**

"Fall back! There's too many!" A grunt shouted in panic, as a mob of Safari Zone forest Pokemon quickly decended on the Team Rocket invaders. Flocks of flying-types aggressively swooped, razor leaf attacks cut through the air from the cover of the woods, and four legged herd Pokemon such as Nidorino, began to ram anyone or anything in it's path.

"All units! Regroup at the airship at once!" The Rocket holding the megaphone ordered.

Foot soldiers swiftly fled across the clearing, away from the chaos, some even leaving their own Pokemon behind in order to escape. Koga watched it all from the safety of a tall tree, overlooking the entire scene with almost a bird's-eye view. Everything seemed to be going according to plan, that is until he spotted a strange glow from off in the distance. As it approached, Koga focused his vision and noticed a trail of fire tracing the grassland from behind the object.

As the last of the Team Rocket grunts retreated from the field, they suddenly felt something large pass by them at an incredible speed. The object went by so fast it created an intense gust of scalding wind, forcing those present to cover their faces to protect themselves from the heat.

The Rocket leader brought his Rappidash to a halt between his men and the rest of the forest-area.

"Hey, look! It's Commander Ames!" A grunt exclaimed with enthusiasm. The Rockets raised their fists in the air and cheered, their morale boosted simply at the appearance of their esteemed leader. He turned his flaming-mount and adressed his men.

"Is this the best you can do!? Will you allow yourselves be defeated by nothing more than a small gathering of pests and rodents!?" Ames looked down his mask at the anxious soldiers.

"I will demonstrate to you now how to properly put wild Pokemon in their place..."

Nidoqueen let out a booming roar as she led a diverse assembly of forest-dewllers out of the woods. Commander Ames and Rapidash calmy trotted forward, seemingly unfazed by the numerous opposition before them. He extended his arm, and pointed to the horde of angry Pokemon.

"FIRE SPIN!"

Rapidash began to whinny loudly, as the fires from it's mane, tail, and legs flared out wildly. Suddenly, the ground began to catch flame, and giant blazing walls quickly shot up, surrounding the large area of land where Nidoqueen and her forces were standing. They were quickly trapped in a large ring of fire, and began to cry out angrily in protest.

Koga watched from above with concern, as Ames rode past the imprisoned Pokemon and approached the edge of the woods.

"FLAME THROWER!"

Rapidash raised it's head and began to inhale deeply before opening it's muzzle and blowing a powerful stream of fire out to the nearby trees. The thick foliage lit up easily, and quickly, thick smoke began to rise up from the burning forest.

Koga almost couldn't believe what was happening. These people had absolutely no regard for the destruction they caused, and were willing to destroy an entire ecosystem to get their way. The situation was much worse than he had originally anticicipated.

He had to leave the area soon, before the spreading flames reached his perch as well, but felt hesitant to simply leave the woods burning in this manner. Just then, he began to hear a loud hum from far away.

"Swooooooooo... swoooooooooo... swooooooo..."

Koga recognized the sound but had to listen for a moment before he could be sure.

"Swoooooooooooooooooo..."

Suddenly, dark cloulds began to drift into the area from overhead, and the veteran gym leader had no doubt as to what was happening. He breathed a sigh of relief.

"Lapras..."

On the other side of the Safari Zone wall, the aquatic Pokemon Lapras swayed it's long neck back and forth as it sung, preforming the weather manipulating technique; Rain Dance.

It began to shower heavily, and steam rose from the dying flames, Lapras's song swooning throughout.

Rapidash cut off it's attack, and began to buck and shake it's head in aversion to the sudden downpour.

"STEADY!" Ames commanded, taking control of his mount. He growled to himself in frustration at the sudden turn of events, and turned back.

"Change of plans! Capture the fainted Pokemon here, and keep some patrols in the area! The rest you, proceed to the next sector!" The Team Rocket commander shouted to his men.

"At least we can can salvage something from this mess..." Ames decended from Rapidash and withdrew it. He walked over to the huddled mass of injured Pokemon, and found Nidoqueen, on her side, breathing heavily.

"Unimpressive, to say the least..." He commented before activating an empty Ultra Ball, and tossing it towards the once mighty Pokemon leader. The ball flashed and absorbed Nidoqueen, settling down with a ping, indicating a successful Pokemon capture. Ames collected his prize and got the attention of a neaby grunt with a motorcycle and side-cart.

"Take me back to the command center. Hopefully I won't be needed to clean up any further messes this evening."

As he watched Ames drive off, Koga felt tense. The true urgency of the situation began to weigh on him. The ninja master took a deep breath, and tried to find his center. He engaged in a brief moment of meditation and quickly brought himself back to the present, clearing his mind of doubt and fear.

He decided to follow in the direction of the Rocket commanding officer, and traveled west along the edge of the forest, knowing full well he could no longer afford to make a single mistake from this moment on.

* * *

 _Thanks for reading! Stay tuned for more. Favorites and reviews are greatly appreciated_.


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